Rep. John Lujan

Maddy summaryHB 105 amends the Texas Jobs, Energy, Technology, and Innovation Act to create a new "priority project" category requiring applicants to commit to at least $750 million in investment by the end of the first tax year of the incentive period. Priority projects are exempt from standard job and investment requirements but must still generate sufficient tax revenue to offset school district losses from the agreement. The bill also clarifies that projects located in qualified opportunity zones (designated by the U.S. Treasury by 2026) must be situated within those zones to qualify for incentives. These changes streamline incentives for large-scale investments while maintaining fiscal accountability for local school funding.

Maddy summaryHB 1621 establishes a matching grant program to fund technology upgrades at Texas hospitals providing mental health care. Hospitals licensed under Health and Safety Code Chapters 241 or 577 can apply for state grants, requiring them to contribute 25% of the grant amount from non-state sources (like donations). Funds may be used for electronic health data platforms, secure patient record access, interoperability with other providers, and mobile device integration for mental health services. The program requires biennial reports to the legislature on outcomes, with the law taking effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 2308 establishes the Texas Commission on Border Security and Illegal Immigration as an advisory body composed of 11 members, including legislative leaders, the governor’s designee, and state agency representatives. The commission’s primary duty is to review the economic, legal, cultural, and educational impacts of illegal immigration on Texas and examine state and federal immigration laws. It will conduct this review through quarterly meetings and provide findings to the legislature, though it has no regulatory authority. The bill creates a formal structure for state-level analysis of border-related issues without implementing new enforcement policies. (Bill text: HB 2308, Chapter 330, Texas Government Code)

Maddy summaryHB 4443 establishes a pilot program through the Texas Workforce Commission to train workers for careers in energy-efficient technologies, primarily affecting students and job seekers in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The program partners public junior colleges with energy-efficient technology employers to offer dual-credit courses for high school students and college-level training, with standardized curriculum and a completion certificate. It requires tracking participant demographics and post-program employment data to evaluate success. The pilot expires in 2031, with a 2030 evaluation recommending potential statewide expansion.

Maddy summaryHB 2048 establishes a refund program for beverage containers in Texas, requiring producers to fund a system where consumers receive money back for returning eligible containers. It directly affects beverage producers (who pay for the program), consumers (who return containers at redemption centers), and redemption centers (which process returns and issue refunds). The law defines eligible containers as sealed glass, metal, or plastic vessels holding drinks (excluding large containers, milk, infant formula, and medical foods), with redemption centers required to pay at least the container’s refund value. The Texas Beverage Container Recycling Consortium will manage the program under oversight by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

Maddy summarySB 2230 requires Texas municipalities and county commissioners courts to mandate evacuations of unauthorized people from hazard zones calculated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) during space flight activities. Violating these evacuation orders would be a Class B misdemeanor (Class A for repeat offenses). The bill’s effective date depends on another related bill (S.B. 2188) also passing into law. It creates a legal mechanism to enforce safety zones around space launch sites without specifying new safety protocols or altering FAA regulations.

Maddy summaryHB 3695 limits copayments for physical therapy visits under certain health plans. It prohibits health maintenance organizations and preferred provider plans from charging enrollees a higher copayment for a physical therapist visit (without a referral) than for a primary care physician visit. The law applies to plans delivered, issued, or renewed on or after January 1, 2026, and takes effect September 1, 2025. This directly affects Texas enrollees who use physical therapy services without needing a physician referral.

Maddy summaryHB 4442 would require Texas public school districts and open-enrollment charter schools to offer an elective mindfulness course for all students in middle school, junior high school, and high school. The course must teach specific techniques to enhance focus, manage stress, improve emotional regulation, and build self-awareness and compassion. High school students would be able to count this course toward their elective credit requirements for graduation. The bill would take effect for the 2026-2027 school year, unless it receives a two-thirds vote in both legislative chambers, in which case it would take effect immediately.

Maddy summaryHB 178 requires Texas public school districts to include "ethnic studies, world geography, or world history" as one of the three required social studies credits for high school students, alongside existing mandates for U.S. history, government, and economics. It directly affects all Texas public school students in grades K-12 by modifying the social studies curriculum structure under the foundation high school program. The bill adds ethnic studies as a specific, mandatory option for fulfilling the social studies credit requirement, while maintaining other existing subject requirements. This change applies to all Texas public school districts offering grades K-12.

Maddy summarySB 1208 amends Texas Penal Code Section 38.15(b) to increase the penalty for interfering with public duties from a Class B misdemeanor to a state jail felony. This change directly affects individuals who obstruct or interfere with law enforcement officers, emergency responders, or other public officials performing their duties. The bill takes effect September 1, 2025, and applies only to offenses committed on or after that date. It does not create new offenses but raises the severity of existing penalties for this specific conduct.